Konno K1, Chibwana S2, Takata Y3
1Yoichi Hospital, Rehabilitation, Yoichi, Japan, 2Sue Ryder Foundation in Malawi, Rehabilitation, Balaka, Malawi, 3Hokkaido Bunkyo University, Human Science Physical Therapy, Eniwa, Japan
Background: In developing countries, there is a clear need for rehabilitation services, but it is currently in inadequate supply. This is due to a lack of medical workers and a deficiency in planning. This paper discusses the combination of intensive physiotherapy and community based rehabilitation for children with Cerebral Malaria. There are very few reports describing rehabilitation for Cerebral Malaria, and there are almost no reports of this kind of activity in developing countries.
Purpose: This study seeks to clarify the effect of intensive physiotherapy and Community Based Rehabilitation on motor function for persons with Cerebral Malaria in rural areas of Malawi.
Methods: The participants were 10-year-old and 9-year-old children with Cerebral Malaria. When they were 8 and 6 years old, they suffered from malaria and motor function decreased to GMFCS level Ⅲ. We provided 2 weeks of intensive physiotherapy for teaching rehabilitation and management to their mothers and community volunteers. We assessed their improvement after finishing intensive physiotherapy and again 2 months later. The training was done by their mothers and community volunteers.
Results:
Case 1 didn't show improvement of GMFM score during intensive physiotherapy, but after 2 months it had improved slightly.
Case 2 showed improvement of GMFM score during and after intensive physiotherapy.
Conclusion(s): Researchers in another study reported that they conducted intensive rehabilitation of GMFCS level III children with cerebral palsy. This study achieved the same effect; however, the effect was more pronounced in this study after 2 months than immediately following the intensive physiotherapy.
Implications: This study demonstrated an effective intervention for children requiring rehabilitation and who reside in rural areas of developing countries.
Keywords: Cerebral Malaria, Intensive physiotherapy, Community Based Rehabilitation
Funding acknowledgements: Rehabilitation and research activities were funded by the Sue Ryder Foundation in Malawi.
Purpose: This study seeks to clarify the effect of intensive physiotherapy and Community Based Rehabilitation on motor function for persons with Cerebral Malaria in rural areas of Malawi.
Methods: The participants were 10-year-old and 9-year-old children with Cerebral Malaria. When they were 8 and 6 years old, they suffered from malaria and motor function decreased to GMFCS level Ⅲ. We provided 2 weeks of intensive physiotherapy for teaching rehabilitation and management to their mothers and community volunteers. We assessed their improvement after finishing intensive physiotherapy and again 2 months later. The training was done by their mothers and community volunteers.
Results:
Case 1 didn't show improvement of GMFM score during intensive physiotherapy, but after 2 months it had improved slightly.
Case 2 showed improvement of GMFM score during and after intensive physiotherapy.
Conclusion(s): Researchers in another study reported that they conducted intensive rehabilitation of GMFCS level III children with cerebral palsy. This study achieved the same effect; however, the effect was more pronounced in this study after 2 months than immediately following the intensive physiotherapy.
Implications: This study demonstrated an effective intervention for children requiring rehabilitation and who reside in rural areas of developing countries.
Keywords: Cerebral Malaria, Intensive physiotherapy, Community Based Rehabilitation
Funding acknowledgements: Rehabilitation and research activities were funded by the Sue Ryder Foundation in Malawi.
Topic: Paediatrics; Paediatrics: cerebral palsy
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: NA
Ethics committee: NA
Reason not required: New application of established methods adapted to meet needs in rural areas in developing countries.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
